Carried to The Table (2007)
2 Samuel 9:1-13 (Audio Only)
I want to thank Chuck Swindoll, that great storyteller, for the concept of this message. Because in 2 Samuel Chapter 9, we have one of the greatest stories in the Old Testament about God’s grace. My prayer today, is as I paint a picture for you, that you would see an honest picture of yourself before God’s grace.
God’s grace comes to us while we are living in a dry, and barren, and desolate land. That’s when God’s grace finds us. In fact, sometimes it’s the only place that God’s grace can find us. And then God snatches us from that barren and lonely place, and he carries us to his table. He carries us to the Table of the Lord. And that’s the picture I pray you’ll see today.
When we truly reach that table of grace, when we’ve reached it understanding how we got there, we’ll know that it is completely undeserved. It is completely unearned, and it is can never be repaid. So, in 2 Samuel Chapter 9, we’ll see one of the greatest illustrations in the Bible, both, of God’s grace and of our need.
In the illustration today, King David is actually a picture of God, the Father. Johnathan is actually a picture of Jesus Christ. And you and I are graphically pictured by the Bible character that, honestly, may best illustrate us. Maybe even the best of all the characters in the Old Testament. We are pictured today, by Mephibosheth.
It’s a fun name to say, but let me tell you what Mephibosheth means. The name Mephibosheth means to scatter shame. It can even mean shameful breath – that every breath is shameful. And so, in the name Mephibosheth, should be our first clue as to why we are pictured by him. Mephibosheth is a picture of God’s unmerited, and undeserved grace (scattering shame, shameful breath), and the unmerited grace that we’ve received from God, the grace that carries us to his table.
2 Samuel Chapter 9 takes place at the pinnacle of King David’s life. I’d encourage you to study the Life of David, twenty-eight messages that you can get under the Teaching Tab on either the WordByMail phone app (get it in your app store), or online at WordByMail.com.
So, in Chapter 9 of 2 Samuel, King David had reached his pinnacle of success (if you will). All of his enemies had been conquered. Everything was good with King David. And in the first verse of 2 Samuel Chapter 9, he kind of stops and he asks a question.
2 Samuel 9:1 (ESV)
1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?”
The word “kindness” is the Hebrew word HESED. It’s translated most often as mercy. It is also the steadfast or the faithful love of God. In Brown’s Hebrew Lexicon this is the definition: Mercy extended to the lowly, needy, and miserable. Who needs some of that? Especially in the Hebrew language, the definition of God’s steadfast love, of his faithful love has a double word definition. Mercy, being the first half. The other half is grace. These words, mercy, and grace, almost always go together – especially in the Hebrew.
Mercy is us not getting what we rightfully deserve. God withholding what we rightfully deserve.
Grace (the other side of that), is us getting what we do not deserve.
And so, it is mercy and grace that defines God’s steadfast, unconditional, and always faithful love to Mephibosheth and to us. It’s a love that can never be earned, never be deserved, never be repaid.
And so, King David begins Chapter 9, by saying, “Is there anyone left that I can show this kind of love to, this Hesed, this mercy and grace, this steadfast love. Mercy extended to the lowly, needy, the miserable. Is there anyone left in Saul’s house that I can show this to?”
And then notice at the end of verse 1 he says, …for Jonathan’s sake. Notice he doesn’t say, “Is there anyone worthy in Saul’s house? Is there anyone that we should acknowledge because of what they have done?” He says, “Is there anyone that exists that I can show him this kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”
It’s very important that we know that King David, who is a picture of God the Father, says for Jonathan’s sake – who is a picture of Jesus Christ, here. Is there anyone I can show my mercy and grace to, for Jonathan’s sake?
The thing that is so shaking, that you need to understand, is in that time there was an accepted and expected procedure (if you will), of a new king. The first thing a new king would do when he came into power was to execute all of the family of the previous king. All of that dynasty, they called it, it’s the possible heirs to the throne. And so, David rightly replaces Saul (he didn’t remove Saul but the Lord removed Saul). And so, Saul had a son, his name was Jonathan. Johnathan had a son; his name was Mephibosheth.
And so, when Saul and Jonathan, and Saul’s other two sons were killed in battle, then the heir to Saul’s dynasty would fall to Mephibosheth. And so, he was the one who rightly deserved the judgment of the new king. See yourself as Mephibosheth, please. He rightly deserved the judgment of the new king because of the family that he belonged to. Mephibosheth is a picture of you, and a picture of me.
And, Mephibosheth had a nanny. And that nanny that knew that judgment was expected to fall upon Mephibosheth. And so, the nanny hears about Saul and Jonathan’s death in battle, and so she tries to take young Mephibosheth and flee with him. Let’s look at Chapter 4 of 2 Samuel. We see the picture, and we understand how expected it is that the judgment of the king fall upon Mephibosheth.
2 Samuel 4:4 (ESV)
4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
You can insert your name there. As his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled, in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Dave.
The nanny knew what was coming. The nanny knew the judgment was going to fall on Mephibosheth. But as she fled, she dropped him. And from his injuries, no fault of his own, he became lame. Mephibosheth is a picture of you, and a picture of me. Number one, because he was a member of Saul’s kingdom. And Saul’s kingdom was a picture of the Kingdom of Man. Saul ruled man’s style. He was Israel’s first king, and he ruled with his own direction.
And so, not only was Mephibosheth, heir to the Kingdom of Man, destined for judgment, now, he’s more like us because he’s been dropped. He’s been crippled. He’s been broken. Simply because of the family that he was an heir to.
Maybe you and I have been dropped. Maybe this world that we live in and the kingdom that we are heirs to, have broken us, have crippled us. Maybe it’s from decisions you’ve made. Maybe it’s from decisions that have been made that have crippled you through no fault of your own. But God is seeking you, crippled, and lame, and broken. And God has already prepared a way.
And there was already a prepared way for Mephibosheth. But Mephibosheth didn’t know it. His nanny didn’t know it. He didn’t know it because many years before Mephibosheth was born, his father Jonathan – a picture of Jesus Christ – had made a covenant with King David – a picture of God the Father.
You have to understand that God isn’t just “nice.” Please hear me when I say that. It’s not that God is just a good God. It’s that God has made a covenant through Jesus Christ to save you. Broken, and crippled, and lame as you are, God has made a covenant that is an unconditional and a one-sided covenant. We see a picture of it in 1 Samuel Chapter 20, between David and Jonathan.
1 Samuel 20:13(b)-16(a) (ESV)
13 (Jonathan speaking) …May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.
14 If I am still alive, show me the (Hesed) steadfast love (mercy and graceful love) of the Lord, that I may not die;
15 And do not cut off your (Hesed) steadfast love (your mercy and your grace) from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,…
Jonathan had made a covenant a long, long time ago. A covenant that the house of David would show mercy and grace to the house of Saul. To anyone who belonged to the house of Jonathan, the house of David would show mercy and grace for Jonathan’s sake – not because of anything that that person may or may not deserve.
Listen carefully. This is a picture of God showing mercy and grace to you for Jesus Christ’s sake. See, the covenant is all between God and Christ. You are the recipients by their choice. It’s because of what God has done, and it’s because of Jesus Christ, that God shows his mercy and his grace to you. And I promise you, that we don’t fully and completely believe that because we’re still trying to make ourselves presentable to God. Listen. You can’t. You are crippled, and broken and lame because of the kingdom that you live in. But God has made a covenant with Jesus Christ for your sake.
And we’re going to see a picture of this covenant in David’s covenant with Jonathan for Mephibosheth’s sake.
2 Samuel 9:2-3 (ESV)
2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.”
3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show (notice carefully) the kindness of God to him?” (Now, watch for Ziba’s response.) Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”
I can’t help but wonder if Ziba was trying to give David some subtle counsel. “Look, King. Yeah, there’s one. There’s one left, but, you know, he’s…. uh, well, you know, I don’t know how to say it, but he’s… not very ‘kingly’. He doesn’t fit the royal court very well, in fact, the truth of the matter is, you know, he’s crippled. He’s crippled. So…” Ziba is trying to slide in a little bit of counsel.
But notice as we begin verse 4, David doesn’t stop for a second. He doesn’t hesitate for a second.
2 Samuel 9:4 (ESV)
4 The king said to him, “Where is he?”…
I didn’t ask you how he was. I didn’t ask you what condition he was in. I didn’t ask you if he was worthy. I asked you if he exists because I’m seeking him. Where is he? And now David’s going to get more information about Mephibosheth.
…And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”
Mephibosheth. He’s alone. He’s crippled. He’s broken. And he’s living in a place called Lo-debar. Just the name sounds depressing, doesn’t it? Lo-debar. It is depressing. In the Hebrew, the words mean no pasture. It describes a barren place, a lonely place, an isolated place. And Mephibosheth is living there, broken and crippled, isolated from all this good. Just like we have been or we are. Living in a place of no pasture, living with our brokenness. Our isolation. Alone. Why?
Why is Mephibosheth there? Mephibosheth is the grandson of the first King of Israel. Why would he be living in a place of no pasture, alone and desolate? Maybe for the same reason that we live there. Though we can be children of the King, instead we choose to live in our brokenness. We choose to live in our lameness, isolated, desolate, in a place of no pasture. Why? Because we really think that if we were to actually come to the King just as we are, that we would get just what we deserve.
We know what we deserve. And so, instead of facing the King and throwing ourselves at his feet, we stay crippled and isolated in a desolate place. We stay as far away from that as we can and we learn to cope, don’t we? We just learn to get by. “Yeah, I’m crippled, but… I get by.”
It’s not good enough for King David and it’s not good enough for your God. King David goes seeking for Mephibosheth. And your God is seeking you.
King David is seeking Mephibosheth so that he can pour out the mercy, the Hesed, the mercy and grace, the steadfast love of the Lord upon him. And God is seeking you in that desolate place. You think you’re safe there but you’re just learning to live with your brokenness, your crippled heart. But God is seeking you. He’s seeking you to pour out his love upon you. His steadfast love, his mercy, and his grace.
And so, we read in verse 5,
2 Samuel 9:5 (ESV)
5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
David sent for Mephibosheth and he took him from that place, and he said, “Now is your time. You are coming to see the king.” And at this point, Mephibosheth would do what we would do. We’d say, “Well, it’s my time. It’s time for me to receive what I am due. I’ve hidden out long enough, I’ve covered up long enough. I’ve been isolated and desolate long enough. The king has called me, it’s time to face the judgment.”
I’m sure that’s what Mephibosheth thought. He had no choice because the king had called him and so he went out of his place of isolation and loneliness to stand before the king, to receive what he deserved. And so, finally, he’s brought before the king, and we see it in verse 6.
2 Samuel 9:6 (ESV)
6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face (good choice, Mephibosheth) and paid homage. (A crippled, broken man, on his face before the king.) And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.”
But then, something happened. The greatest king of kings, the King of Israel, who had every right to bring judgment against Mephibosheth, instead he says the exact same words to Mephibosheth that God the Father will say to you.
King David, as a picture of God, says to Mephibosheth, as a picture of us…
2 Samuel 9:7(a) (ESV)
7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you (Hesed – mercy, grace, steadfast, faithful, unconditional love) kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan,…
Fear not! Do not fear! I’m not going to give you what you deserve. I’m going to give you what you don’t deserve. I’m going to give you mercy. I’m going to give you grace. I’m going to give you my steadfast, faithful love.
Why? Why, God, why?
David says, …for the sake of your father Jonathan,… And it’s a picture of what God says to us. For the sake of my son, Jesus Christ I’m going to show you mercy and grace. I’m going to show you my steadfast and unending love. Not for your sake. For the sake of my Son, Jesus. That is the story throughout the Bible.
God says, Fear not. Not because of what you’ve earned or done or can repay, but because of my Son, I will show you mercy, and I will show you grace if you will come, and if you will fall on your face, and pay homage (which is reverence, or respect). If you will come crippled, and broken, deserving judgment but, instead, falling on your face before your God, then you will get, not the judgment you deserve, but you will get, instead, mercy and grace, and the steadfast unconditional, faithful love of the God of the Universe.
That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Then why are we still living in Lo-debar? Why are we still living in that crippled life? Lame. Isolated. Desolate. Why? When God is waiting to pour out his steadfast love on us.
Incredibly, the king is just getting started, and God is just getting started with us when he says, Do not fear, it’s just the beginning. It’s like a multi-layered present.
2 Samuel 9:7(b) (ESV)
7 …and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father (that’s an incredible response to someone who deserved judgment), and you shall eat at my table always.”
What are you talking about, my King? Mephibosheth would say to himself. What are you talking about? I deserve judgment and instead, you’re going to give me all of the lands of my father. And not only give me all the lands of my father, but you are going have me eat at your table, always? There’s no way Mephibosheth could understand that.
And if we will begin to get ahold of, to understand, God’s grace, for a moment, we’ll the same way! And we’ll never look at one another the same because we’ll say, I’m Mephibosheth. Who am I to say you’re not worthy? There is no one less worthy than me.
That’s understanding God’s grace. We’ll have the exact same response Mephibosheth did when we take ahold of God’s grace, and it will change us forever.
2 Samuel 9:8 (ESV)
8 And he (Mephibosheth) paid homage (he’s still face to the floor before the king, he knows he doesn’t deserve anything) and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
Oh, that would do us a world of good to understand that is a picture of us. When we understand that we are the dead dog, Mephibosheth, it brings gratefulness. It brings thanksgiving. It brings humility. It brings peace. It ends strife, conflict, division, trying to earn something from God or think we’re better than someone else. Listen, you lay two dead dogs, side-by-side, and you decide which one is better than the other. Next time that sin of judgment passes your mind, you imagine two dead dogs, side-by-side, and you decide which dead dog is better? Wait a minute, they’re both dead. They’re both Mephibosheth’s.
Mephibosheth says, Who am I, God, that you would sacrifice so much? That you would sacrifice for us? That you would sacrifice the life of your Son? Not just to save me, not just to give me life, but make me a joint-heir of the inheritance of your son. Not only make a joint-heir but allow to eat at your banqueting table. Who am I, God? Who am I that you would do that for me?
Guys, we have no idea how great God’s grace is. And that’s what makes us think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Because we think, somehow, God’s made a “good choice” by giving us everything he’s given us. We are crippled and lame, and hiding in a place called Lo-debar, no pasture. We deserve God’s judgment. That’s who we are.
In the next verse, it’s as if King David says, “Wait, there’s more!” And that’s what God says to you today.
2 Samuel 9:9-10 (ESV)
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. (that’s Mephibosheth)
10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson (the implication here is that his “household”) may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Suddenly, this crippled, lame, desolate placed Mephibosheth, from Lo-debar, suddenly he has all of the lands of the first king of Israel, and he has thirty-five servants to care for the grace that’s been given to him. Thirty-five servants? That can handle some grace. That can manage some stuff.
But Mephibosheth knows he doesn’t deserve it, hasn’t earned it, and can never repay it. But the king pours it out on him. Why? For Jonathan’s sake. Why does God give you what he gives you? Have you cleaned yourself up enough to deserve it? Have you become just “better enough” from that other person, that you deserve it more than they do? NO! Dead dog, dead dog. Both stink. God hasn’t given you a thing because you earn it, he’s given it to you because of Jesus Christ. For the sake of his Son, he’s given you all that he’s given you.
2 Samuel 9:11 (ESV)
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table,…
Wait a minute, it’s not enough that he’s been given life instead of judgment. It’s not enough he’s been given the inheritance of a king. It’s not enough that he’s given the grace that takes thirty-five servants to take of. It’s not enough that he eats at the king’s table. Look at the end of verse 11.
…like one of the king's sons.
When does this end, God? How much more can you give me than a full joint-heirship? How much more can you give me than to make me a full-fledged adopted son? What do you mean “like one of the king’s sons”? I’m undeserving. I’m crippled. I’m carrying baggage and scars. I can’t even walk on my own. I come from a barren, and a desolate, and an isolated place, and you are going to make me one of your sons? Yeah. Why, God? “For my Son’s sake,” he says. Because of Jesus Christ. That’s why.
That’s a picture of God’s grace to you. And if we walk around here with our heads held up as if we deserve it, wow! What a “slap in the face” to God. There’s no greater grace than God making a dead dog joint-heir to the Kingdom. Man, we’ve got to understand our position, and we’ve got to understand our God because he’s a great God. And we don’t deserve what he’s given us.
2 Samuel 9:12-13 (ESV)
12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.
13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem (Jerusalem is also called “The City of God”), for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
Why would God leave you crippled and lame? Why would he leave you with that baggage, with the scars that you carry today? Why wouldn’t he just make you the best of the best of the best? Because you would think you deserve it. You would think you’re “something.” But after all God did for Mephibosheth, the end of the chapter says Now he was lame in both his feet.
And so, the king of grace went searching for a broken, undeserving outcast. Wait a minute… that’s me. And the king of grace went searching for him in a desolate place. And this king brought this forgotten one into the palace and he showered grace on him. He gave him everything there was to give him, and not only that, he made him a son.
That’s a picture of God’s grace to each of us. Each one of us – Mephibosheth’s – in our way.
There’s just one more picture I want to paint for you. I hope you see yourself where you belong.
In 2 Samuel Chapter 8, as we begin to read, I need you to imagine one more picture. I need you to place yourself in the greatest banqueting hall in the palace of the King of Israel. And imagine the full-dress dinner. The “big one.” The full-dress banquet is being given at the palace, and the chariots and the entourages begin to arrive. And one-by-one the dignitaries would emerge and they would be escorted into the grand dining room to dine with the king.
What follows beginning in verse 16, is a list of some who would be there.
2 Samuel 8:15 (ESV)
15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army,…
Joab was the Commander of the Army. Now, if you’re going to be the Commander of King David’s army, David being a warrior himself, you are “some kind” of army commander. And Joab would come in, maybe first. He would walk in proud and sharp. He would be in command and control in full dress uniform.
…and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
The recorder was the official historian. Whenever something happened, he’d be there, pen and scroll, writing down what would happen. Maybe he would sit off in the corner to record things. And maybe he was about to be shocked. Maybe too shocked to write.
17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests,…
You know what the priests look like. Imagine them in full dress garb, coming in (I’m sure) with an entourage. Their dress and their manner would be righteous. Righteous and proper, deserving that of a king’s banquet. They would quickly and easily judge every other person in the room. That’s what priests tend to do. They would judge every move, every action of every person, and they, too, were about to be shocked.
…and Seraiah was secretary, (the scribe)
The scribe was of the most learned and astute Hebrew scholarly, religious school. The scribe would have known the Law of God by memory because he would have to pass it down to the generations. The scribe may have been copying the Torah, that day. And he came in with the most knowledge, the most uprightness of anyone in the room.
18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites,…
The Cherethites and the Pelethites were the elite guard of David’s army. They were the elite of the elite. These guys were like the CIA and the Special Forces. They were there whenever David needed them. And their commander would step into the room, his eyes would dart around the room. He would see everything that was in place. He would see everything that was out of place. He was in charge of security and he was about to get very concerned.
…and David's sons were priests. (Chief ministers.)
So, finally, David’s sons come into the banquet. Not just his sons, but with positions in David’s cabinet as chief ministers. The cabinet is in place now, all those of the highest honor.
And then, King David himself would enter the room, with all of the pomp and circumstance right for the greatest King of Israel, David would come into the room but it’s not time yet. Something’s wrong. David is still standing, and so everyone else is still standing. The banquet table is laid out, but nobody is sitting down.
And so, while the dignitaries are waiting patiently for the banquet, down the hall, first those who are most in tune hear an unusual sound. And it goes like this. Shhhh-clunk. Shhhh-clunk. And they begin to get nervous. And something is dragging down the hall. It seems out of place. Shhhh-clunk. And finally, the door opens – not one door, but two. And in comes Mephibosheth.
He wants to walk, but he can’t. He can’t because the world he has lived in has made him lame. He’s dragging his feet, and someone’s carrying him. He wants to walk, but he can’t. He’s there by grace. And every dignitary who has earned their position watches in awe as Mephibosheth is carried to the table. Not King David, not the priests, not the scribe, not the dignitaries – Mephibosheth sits down first.
(And listen very carefully, please.)
When Mephibosheth sits down the tablecloth of the king, covers his feet. Once he sits down, you can’t tell he’s lame because he’s sitting at the king’s table. Yeah, he’s still carrying the scars of his life, but you can’t see it because he’s not a guest at the king’s table, he’s a son. And as he sits at that banqueting table, the cloth of that table covers his infirmities, and he becomes one of King David’s sons. Now that Mephibosheth has taken his place, the banquet can begin.
As I imagine this, for me, all I can think about is Heaven. With Jesus Christ and all of his dignitaries coming to the banqueting table of the Lord. We see Abraham, we see Noah, we see Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, the Disciples. The Apostle Paul walks in. But they’re standing. Even the King of kings hasn’t sat down yet. They’re waiting.
And as they’re waiting, you and I, lame and crippled, snatched from a desolate place, are carried in. And once we are set at the King’s table, not because we’re worthy, but because of his mercy and his grace for the sake of his Son, once we are set there, the banquet can begin.
That, guys, is how full of grace our God is.
Romans 8:15 (NKJV)
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Abba! Daddy! Have you done that today? Have you recognized your position and cried out to God, today? Have you acknowledged that you’re broken, and crippled, in a lonely and barren place, and said, “God, here I am. Just as I am. I’ll fall on my face before you.”?
LEELAND – Carried to the Table
Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master's courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I'm healed and unashamed
You carried me, my God
You carried me
What about you guys? Who else? Who else wants to be carried to the table, today? Broken, and lame, and crippled. You come from a desolate place. You come before the Lord, and bow your face before the Lord. And he’ll give you – not what you deserve – he’ll give you what you don’t deserve. He’ll give you grace.
You need to be right here, humbled before the Lord. You need to say, “Lord, I don’t deserve your grace. I don’t deserve your love, but I receive it. If you carry me to your table, I’ll sit with you.”
Don’t harden your heart to the work that God wants to do.
Let’s pray.
King of kings and Lord of lords, we bow before you. We’re on our knees, Lord, in humility. We’re broken. This world has made us lame and we are overwhelmed by your grace. We can’t even say thank you because it’s not enough. And so, we bow before you. We give you our lives, in response to all that you’ve given us. We receive your mercy. We receive your grace. We receive your inheritance. And we receive your adoption. You made us sons and daughters. You’ve given us the privilege of your own Son, and we are overwhelmed. Please pour out your Spirit that we would know your grace, that we would know your mercy, and that it would change the way we live. Please save us. Please carry us to your table. We will always serve you as our Lord. It’s your name we bow, it’s in your name we pray, amen.
I just want to pray one more time before we go.
Heavenly Father, you made us your kids, Lord, just as we are. We’ve come to you in humility and you’ve sent us away as adopted sons and daughters. May we know the transforming power of your grace in our lives, may we be forever changed as we always eat at your table, Lord. Thank you, God. Thank you for what you’ve done here, today. We pray it all in Jesus’ name, amen.
God’s grace comes to us while we are living in a dry, and barren, and desolate land. That’s when God’s grace finds us. In fact, sometimes it’s the only place that God’s grace can find us. And then God snatches us from that barren and lonely place, and he carries us to his table. He carries us to the Table of the Lord. And that’s the picture I pray you’ll see today.
When we truly reach that table of grace, when we’ve reached it understanding how we got there, we’ll know that it is completely undeserved. It is completely unearned, and it is can never be repaid. So, in 2 Samuel Chapter 9, we’ll see one of the greatest illustrations in the Bible, both, of God’s grace and of our need.
In the illustration today, King David is actually a picture of God, the Father. Johnathan is actually a picture of Jesus Christ. And you and I are graphically pictured by the Bible character that, honestly, may best illustrate us. Maybe even the best of all the characters in the Old Testament. We are pictured today, by Mephibosheth.
It’s a fun name to say, but let me tell you what Mephibosheth means. The name Mephibosheth means to scatter shame. It can even mean shameful breath – that every breath is shameful. And so, in the name Mephibosheth, should be our first clue as to why we are pictured by him. Mephibosheth is a picture of God’s unmerited, and undeserved grace (scattering shame, shameful breath), and the unmerited grace that we’ve received from God, the grace that carries us to his table.
2 Samuel Chapter 9 takes place at the pinnacle of King David’s life. I’d encourage you to study the Life of David, twenty-eight messages that you can get under the Teaching Tab on either the WordByMail phone app (get it in your app store), or online at WordByMail.com.
So, in Chapter 9 of 2 Samuel, King David had reached his pinnacle of success (if you will). All of his enemies had been conquered. Everything was good with King David. And in the first verse of 2 Samuel Chapter 9, he kind of stops and he asks a question.
2 Samuel 9:1 (ESV)
1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?”
The word “kindness” is the Hebrew word HESED. It’s translated most often as mercy. It is also the steadfast or the faithful love of God. In Brown’s Hebrew Lexicon this is the definition: Mercy extended to the lowly, needy, and miserable. Who needs some of that? Especially in the Hebrew language, the definition of God’s steadfast love, of his faithful love has a double word definition. Mercy, being the first half. The other half is grace. These words, mercy, and grace, almost always go together – especially in the Hebrew.
Mercy is us not getting what we rightfully deserve. God withholding what we rightfully deserve.
Grace (the other side of that), is us getting what we do not deserve.
And so, it is mercy and grace that defines God’s steadfast, unconditional, and always faithful love to Mephibosheth and to us. It’s a love that can never be earned, never be deserved, never be repaid.
And so, King David begins Chapter 9, by saying, “Is there anyone left that I can show this kind of love to, this Hesed, this mercy and grace, this steadfast love. Mercy extended to the lowly, needy, the miserable. Is there anyone left in Saul’s house that I can show this to?”
And then notice at the end of verse 1 he says, …for Jonathan’s sake. Notice he doesn’t say, “Is there anyone worthy in Saul’s house? Is there anyone that we should acknowledge because of what they have done?” He says, “Is there anyone that exists that I can show him this kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”
It’s very important that we know that King David, who is a picture of God the Father, says for Jonathan’s sake – who is a picture of Jesus Christ, here. Is there anyone I can show my mercy and grace to, for Jonathan’s sake?
The thing that is so shaking, that you need to understand, is in that time there was an accepted and expected procedure (if you will), of a new king. The first thing a new king would do when he came into power was to execute all of the family of the previous king. All of that dynasty, they called it, it’s the possible heirs to the throne. And so, David rightly replaces Saul (he didn’t remove Saul but the Lord removed Saul). And so, Saul had a son, his name was Jonathan. Johnathan had a son; his name was Mephibosheth.
And so, when Saul and Jonathan, and Saul’s other two sons were killed in battle, then the heir to Saul’s dynasty would fall to Mephibosheth. And so, he was the one who rightly deserved the judgment of the new king. See yourself as Mephibosheth, please. He rightly deserved the judgment of the new king because of the family that he belonged to. Mephibosheth is a picture of you, and a picture of me.
And, Mephibosheth had a nanny. And that nanny that knew that judgment was expected to fall upon Mephibosheth. And so, the nanny hears about Saul and Jonathan’s death in battle, and so she tries to take young Mephibosheth and flee with him. Let’s look at Chapter 4 of 2 Samuel. We see the picture, and we understand how expected it is that the judgment of the king fall upon Mephibosheth.
2 Samuel 4:4 (ESV)
4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
You can insert your name there. As his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled, in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Dave.
The nanny knew what was coming. The nanny knew the judgment was going to fall on Mephibosheth. But as she fled, she dropped him. And from his injuries, no fault of his own, he became lame. Mephibosheth is a picture of you, and a picture of me. Number one, because he was a member of Saul’s kingdom. And Saul’s kingdom was a picture of the Kingdom of Man. Saul ruled man’s style. He was Israel’s first king, and he ruled with his own direction.
And so, not only was Mephibosheth, heir to the Kingdom of Man, destined for judgment, now, he’s more like us because he’s been dropped. He’s been crippled. He’s been broken. Simply because of the family that he was an heir to.
Maybe you and I have been dropped. Maybe this world that we live in and the kingdom that we are heirs to, have broken us, have crippled us. Maybe it’s from decisions you’ve made. Maybe it’s from decisions that have been made that have crippled you through no fault of your own. But God is seeking you, crippled, and lame, and broken. And God has already prepared a way.
And there was already a prepared way for Mephibosheth. But Mephibosheth didn’t know it. His nanny didn’t know it. He didn’t know it because many years before Mephibosheth was born, his father Jonathan – a picture of Jesus Christ – had made a covenant with King David – a picture of God the Father.
You have to understand that God isn’t just “nice.” Please hear me when I say that. It’s not that God is just a good God. It’s that God has made a covenant through Jesus Christ to save you. Broken, and crippled, and lame as you are, God has made a covenant that is an unconditional and a one-sided covenant. We see a picture of it in 1 Samuel Chapter 20, between David and Jonathan.
1 Samuel 20:13(b)-16(a) (ESV)
13 (Jonathan speaking) …May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father.
14 If I am still alive, show me the (Hesed) steadfast love (mercy and graceful love) of the Lord, that I may not die;
15 And do not cut off your (Hesed) steadfast love (your mercy and your grace) from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,…
Jonathan had made a covenant a long, long time ago. A covenant that the house of David would show mercy and grace to the house of Saul. To anyone who belonged to the house of Jonathan, the house of David would show mercy and grace for Jonathan’s sake – not because of anything that that person may or may not deserve.
Listen carefully. This is a picture of God showing mercy and grace to you for Jesus Christ’s sake. See, the covenant is all between God and Christ. You are the recipients by their choice. It’s because of what God has done, and it’s because of Jesus Christ, that God shows his mercy and his grace to you. And I promise you, that we don’t fully and completely believe that because we’re still trying to make ourselves presentable to God. Listen. You can’t. You are crippled, and broken and lame because of the kingdom that you live in. But God has made a covenant with Jesus Christ for your sake.
And we’re going to see a picture of this covenant in David’s covenant with Jonathan for Mephibosheth’s sake.
2 Samuel 9:2-3 (ESV)
2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.”
3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show (notice carefully) the kindness of God to him?” (Now, watch for Ziba’s response.) Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”
I can’t help but wonder if Ziba was trying to give David some subtle counsel. “Look, King. Yeah, there’s one. There’s one left, but, you know, he’s…. uh, well, you know, I don’t know how to say it, but he’s… not very ‘kingly’. He doesn’t fit the royal court very well, in fact, the truth of the matter is, you know, he’s crippled. He’s crippled. So…” Ziba is trying to slide in a little bit of counsel.
But notice as we begin verse 4, David doesn’t stop for a second. He doesn’t hesitate for a second.
2 Samuel 9:4 (ESV)
4 The king said to him, “Where is he?”…
I didn’t ask you how he was. I didn’t ask you what condition he was in. I didn’t ask you if he was worthy. I asked you if he exists because I’m seeking him. Where is he? And now David’s going to get more information about Mephibosheth.
…And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”
Mephibosheth. He’s alone. He’s crippled. He’s broken. And he’s living in a place called Lo-debar. Just the name sounds depressing, doesn’t it? Lo-debar. It is depressing. In the Hebrew, the words mean no pasture. It describes a barren place, a lonely place, an isolated place. And Mephibosheth is living there, broken and crippled, isolated from all this good. Just like we have been or we are. Living in a place of no pasture, living with our brokenness. Our isolation. Alone. Why?
Why is Mephibosheth there? Mephibosheth is the grandson of the first King of Israel. Why would he be living in a place of no pasture, alone and desolate? Maybe for the same reason that we live there. Though we can be children of the King, instead we choose to live in our brokenness. We choose to live in our lameness, isolated, desolate, in a place of no pasture. Why? Because we really think that if we were to actually come to the King just as we are, that we would get just what we deserve.
We know what we deserve. And so, instead of facing the King and throwing ourselves at his feet, we stay crippled and isolated in a desolate place. We stay as far away from that as we can and we learn to cope, don’t we? We just learn to get by. “Yeah, I’m crippled, but… I get by.”
It’s not good enough for King David and it’s not good enough for your God. King David goes seeking for Mephibosheth. And your God is seeking you.
King David is seeking Mephibosheth so that he can pour out the mercy, the Hesed, the mercy and grace, the steadfast love of the Lord upon him. And God is seeking you in that desolate place. You think you’re safe there but you’re just learning to live with your brokenness, your crippled heart. But God is seeking you. He’s seeking you to pour out his love upon you. His steadfast love, his mercy, and his grace.
And so, we read in verse 5,
2 Samuel 9:5 (ESV)
5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.
David sent for Mephibosheth and he took him from that place, and he said, “Now is your time. You are coming to see the king.” And at this point, Mephibosheth would do what we would do. We’d say, “Well, it’s my time. It’s time for me to receive what I am due. I’ve hidden out long enough, I’ve covered up long enough. I’ve been isolated and desolate long enough. The king has called me, it’s time to face the judgment.”
I’m sure that’s what Mephibosheth thought. He had no choice because the king had called him and so he went out of his place of isolation and loneliness to stand before the king, to receive what he deserved. And so, finally, he’s brought before the king, and we see it in verse 6.
2 Samuel 9:6 (ESV)
6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face (good choice, Mephibosheth) and paid homage. (A crippled, broken man, on his face before the king.) And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.”
But then, something happened. The greatest king of kings, the King of Israel, who had every right to bring judgment against Mephibosheth, instead he says the exact same words to Mephibosheth that God the Father will say to you.
King David, as a picture of God, says to Mephibosheth, as a picture of us…
2 Samuel 9:7(a) (ESV)
7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you (Hesed – mercy, grace, steadfast, faithful, unconditional love) kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan,…
Fear not! Do not fear! I’m not going to give you what you deserve. I’m going to give you what you don’t deserve. I’m going to give you mercy. I’m going to give you grace. I’m going to give you my steadfast, faithful love.
Why? Why, God, why?
David says, …for the sake of your father Jonathan,… And it’s a picture of what God says to us. For the sake of my son, Jesus Christ I’m going to show you mercy and grace. I’m going to show you my steadfast and unending love. Not for your sake. For the sake of my Son, Jesus. That is the story throughout the Bible.
God says, Fear not. Not because of what you’ve earned or done or can repay, but because of my Son, I will show you mercy, and I will show you grace if you will come, and if you will fall on your face, and pay homage (which is reverence, or respect). If you will come crippled, and broken, deserving judgment but, instead, falling on your face before your God, then you will get, not the judgment you deserve, but you will get, instead, mercy and grace, and the steadfast unconditional, faithful love of the God of the Universe.
That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Then why are we still living in Lo-debar? Why are we still living in that crippled life? Lame. Isolated. Desolate. Why? When God is waiting to pour out his steadfast love on us.
Incredibly, the king is just getting started, and God is just getting started with us when he says, Do not fear, it’s just the beginning. It’s like a multi-layered present.
2 Samuel 9:7(b) (ESV)
7 …and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father (that’s an incredible response to someone who deserved judgment), and you shall eat at my table always.”
What are you talking about, my King? Mephibosheth would say to himself. What are you talking about? I deserve judgment and instead, you’re going to give me all of the lands of my father. And not only give me all the lands of my father, but you are going have me eat at your table, always? There’s no way Mephibosheth could understand that.
And if we will begin to get ahold of, to understand, God’s grace, for a moment, we’ll the same way! And we’ll never look at one another the same because we’ll say, I’m Mephibosheth. Who am I to say you’re not worthy? There is no one less worthy than me.
That’s understanding God’s grace. We’ll have the exact same response Mephibosheth did when we take ahold of God’s grace, and it will change us forever.
2 Samuel 9:8 (ESV)
8 And he (Mephibosheth) paid homage (he’s still face to the floor before the king, he knows he doesn’t deserve anything) and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
Oh, that would do us a world of good to understand that is a picture of us. When we understand that we are the dead dog, Mephibosheth, it brings gratefulness. It brings thanksgiving. It brings humility. It brings peace. It ends strife, conflict, division, trying to earn something from God or think we’re better than someone else. Listen, you lay two dead dogs, side-by-side, and you decide which one is better than the other. Next time that sin of judgment passes your mind, you imagine two dead dogs, side-by-side, and you decide which dead dog is better? Wait a minute, they’re both dead. They’re both Mephibosheth’s.
Mephibosheth says, Who am I, God, that you would sacrifice so much? That you would sacrifice for us? That you would sacrifice the life of your Son? Not just to save me, not just to give me life, but make me a joint-heir of the inheritance of your son. Not only make a joint-heir but allow to eat at your banqueting table. Who am I, God? Who am I that you would do that for me?
Guys, we have no idea how great God’s grace is. And that’s what makes us think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Because we think, somehow, God’s made a “good choice” by giving us everything he’s given us. We are crippled and lame, and hiding in a place called Lo-debar, no pasture. We deserve God’s judgment. That’s who we are.
In the next verse, it’s as if King David says, “Wait, there’s more!” And that’s what God says to you today.
2 Samuel 9:9-10 (ESV)
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. (that’s Mephibosheth)
10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson (the implication here is that his “household”) may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Suddenly, this crippled, lame, desolate placed Mephibosheth, from Lo-debar, suddenly he has all of the lands of the first king of Israel, and he has thirty-five servants to care for the grace that’s been given to him. Thirty-five servants? That can handle some grace. That can manage some stuff.
But Mephibosheth knows he doesn’t deserve it, hasn’t earned it, and can never repay it. But the king pours it out on him. Why? For Jonathan’s sake. Why does God give you what he gives you? Have you cleaned yourself up enough to deserve it? Have you become just “better enough” from that other person, that you deserve it more than they do? NO! Dead dog, dead dog. Both stink. God hasn’t given you a thing because you earn it, he’s given it to you because of Jesus Christ. For the sake of his Son, he’s given you all that he’s given you.
2 Samuel 9:11 (ESV)
11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David's table,…
Wait a minute, it’s not enough that he’s been given life instead of judgment. It’s not enough he’s been given the inheritance of a king. It’s not enough that he’s given the grace that takes thirty-five servants to take of. It’s not enough that he eats at the king’s table. Look at the end of verse 11.
…like one of the king's sons.
When does this end, God? How much more can you give me than a full joint-heirship? How much more can you give me than to make me a full-fledged adopted son? What do you mean “like one of the king’s sons”? I’m undeserving. I’m crippled. I’m carrying baggage and scars. I can’t even walk on my own. I come from a barren, and a desolate, and an isolated place, and you are going to make me one of your sons? Yeah. Why, God? “For my Son’s sake,” he says. Because of Jesus Christ. That’s why.
That’s a picture of God’s grace to you. And if we walk around here with our heads held up as if we deserve it, wow! What a “slap in the face” to God. There’s no greater grace than God making a dead dog joint-heir to the Kingdom. Man, we’ve got to understand our position, and we’ve got to understand our God because he’s a great God. And we don’t deserve what he’s given us.
2 Samuel 9:12-13 (ESV)
12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.
13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem (Jerusalem is also called “The City of God”), for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
Why would God leave you crippled and lame? Why would he leave you with that baggage, with the scars that you carry today? Why wouldn’t he just make you the best of the best of the best? Because you would think you deserve it. You would think you’re “something.” But after all God did for Mephibosheth, the end of the chapter says Now he was lame in both his feet.
And so, the king of grace went searching for a broken, undeserving outcast. Wait a minute… that’s me. And the king of grace went searching for him in a desolate place. And this king brought this forgotten one into the palace and he showered grace on him. He gave him everything there was to give him, and not only that, he made him a son.
That’s a picture of God’s grace to each of us. Each one of us – Mephibosheth’s – in our way.
There’s just one more picture I want to paint for you. I hope you see yourself where you belong.
In 2 Samuel Chapter 8, as we begin to read, I need you to imagine one more picture. I need you to place yourself in the greatest banqueting hall in the palace of the King of Israel. And imagine the full-dress dinner. The “big one.” The full-dress banquet is being given at the palace, and the chariots and the entourages begin to arrive. And one-by-one the dignitaries would emerge and they would be escorted into the grand dining room to dine with the king.
What follows beginning in verse 16, is a list of some who would be there.
2 Samuel 8:15 (ESV)
15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army,…
Joab was the Commander of the Army. Now, if you’re going to be the Commander of King David’s army, David being a warrior himself, you are “some kind” of army commander. And Joab would come in, maybe first. He would walk in proud and sharp. He would be in command and control in full dress uniform.
…and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
The recorder was the official historian. Whenever something happened, he’d be there, pen and scroll, writing down what would happen. Maybe he would sit off in the corner to record things. And maybe he was about to be shocked. Maybe too shocked to write.
17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests,…
You know what the priests look like. Imagine them in full dress garb, coming in (I’m sure) with an entourage. Their dress and their manner would be righteous. Righteous and proper, deserving that of a king’s banquet. They would quickly and easily judge every other person in the room. That’s what priests tend to do. They would judge every move, every action of every person, and they, too, were about to be shocked.
…and Seraiah was secretary, (the scribe)
The scribe was of the most learned and astute Hebrew scholarly, religious school. The scribe would have known the Law of God by memory because he would have to pass it down to the generations. The scribe may have been copying the Torah, that day. And he came in with the most knowledge, the most uprightness of anyone in the room.
18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites,…
The Cherethites and the Pelethites were the elite guard of David’s army. They were the elite of the elite. These guys were like the CIA and the Special Forces. They were there whenever David needed them. And their commander would step into the room, his eyes would dart around the room. He would see everything that was in place. He would see everything that was out of place. He was in charge of security and he was about to get very concerned.
…and David's sons were priests. (Chief ministers.)
So, finally, David’s sons come into the banquet. Not just his sons, but with positions in David’s cabinet as chief ministers. The cabinet is in place now, all those of the highest honor.
And then, King David himself would enter the room, with all of the pomp and circumstance right for the greatest King of Israel, David would come into the room but it’s not time yet. Something’s wrong. David is still standing, and so everyone else is still standing. The banquet table is laid out, but nobody is sitting down.
And so, while the dignitaries are waiting patiently for the banquet, down the hall, first those who are most in tune hear an unusual sound. And it goes like this. Shhhh-clunk. Shhhh-clunk. And they begin to get nervous. And something is dragging down the hall. It seems out of place. Shhhh-clunk. And finally, the door opens – not one door, but two. And in comes Mephibosheth.
He wants to walk, but he can’t. He can’t because the world he has lived in has made him lame. He’s dragging his feet, and someone’s carrying him. He wants to walk, but he can’t. He’s there by grace. And every dignitary who has earned their position watches in awe as Mephibosheth is carried to the table. Not King David, not the priests, not the scribe, not the dignitaries – Mephibosheth sits down first.
(And listen very carefully, please.)
When Mephibosheth sits down the tablecloth of the king, covers his feet. Once he sits down, you can’t tell he’s lame because he’s sitting at the king’s table. Yeah, he’s still carrying the scars of his life, but you can’t see it because he’s not a guest at the king’s table, he’s a son. And as he sits at that banqueting table, the cloth of that table covers his infirmities, and he becomes one of King David’s sons. Now that Mephibosheth has taken his place, the banquet can begin.
As I imagine this, for me, all I can think about is Heaven. With Jesus Christ and all of his dignitaries coming to the banqueting table of the Lord. We see Abraham, we see Noah, we see Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, the Disciples. The Apostle Paul walks in. But they’re standing. Even the King of kings hasn’t sat down yet. They’re waiting.
And as they’re waiting, you and I, lame and crippled, snatched from a desolate place, are carried in. And once we are set at the King’s table, not because we’re worthy, but because of his mercy and his grace for the sake of his Son, once we are set there, the banquet can begin.
That, guys, is how full of grace our God is.
Romans 8:15 (NKJV)
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Abba! Daddy! Have you done that today? Have you recognized your position and cried out to God, today? Have you acknowledged that you’re broken, and crippled, in a lonely and barren place, and said, “God, here I am. Just as I am. I’ll fall on my face before you.”?
LEELAND – Carried to the Table
Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master's courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I'm healed and unashamed
You carried me, my God
You carried me
What about you guys? Who else? Who else wants to be carried to the table, today? Broken, and lame, and crippled. You come from a desolate place. You come before the Lord, and bow your face before the Lord. And he’ll give you – not what you deserve – he’ll give you what you don’t deserve. He’ll give you grace.
You need to be right here, humbled before the Lord. You need to say, “Lord, I don’t deserve your grace. I don’t deserve your love, but I receive it. If you carry me to your table, I’ll sit with you.”
Don’t harden your heart to the work that God wants to do.
Let’s pray.
King of kings and Lord of lords, we bow before you. We’re on our knees, Lord, in humility. We’re broken. This world has made us lame and we are overwhelmed by your grace. We can’t even say thank you because it’s not enough. And so, we bow before you. We give you our lives, in response to all that you’ve given us. We receive your mercy. We receive your grace. We receive your inheritance. And we receive your adoption. You made us sons and daughters. You’ve given us the privilege of your own Son, and we are overwhelmed. Please pour out your Spirit that we would know your grace, that we would know your mercy, and that it would change the way we live. Please save us. Please carry us to your table. We will always serve you as our Lord. It’s your name we bow, it’s in your name we pray, amen.
I just want to pray one more time before we go.
Heavenly Father, you made us your kids, Lord, just as we are. We’ve come to you in humility and you’ve sent us away as adopted sons and daughters. May we know the transforming power of your grace in our lives, may we be forever changed as we always eat at your table, Lord. Thank you, God. Thank you for what you’ve done here, today. We pray it all in Jesus’ name, amen.